Doctrine and Covenants 133
Historical Context
Doctrine and Covenants 133 is often referred to as “the appendix” of the Doctrine and Covenants. It was received on November 3, 1831, near the same time that sections 1 and 67 were received and was placed at the end of the Book of Commandments. While Doctrine and Covenants 1 is considered the “preface” of the book, section 133 effectively functions as an appendix to the book. Apostle John A. Widtsoe explained, “The ‘Appendix’ [D&C 133], supplements the introduction [D&C 1]. The two sections together encompass the contents of the book in a condensed form. An appendix is something which the writer thinks should be added to amplify that which is in the book, to emphasize it, to make it stronger or to explain the contents a little more completely.”
Doctrine and Covenants 133 contains an extensive discussion of the signs leading up to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. When the revelation was first published in The Evening and the Morning Star, it was accompanied by the following introduction:
Indeed it is a source of joy to us, to know, that all the prophecies and promises which are contained in them, which have not been fulfilled, will come to pass. The saints may lift up their heads and rejoice, for their redemption will soon be perfected. Soon the curtain of heaven will be unfolded, as a scroll is unfolded after it is rolled up, and they will see their Lord face to face. In view of these coming scenes, they may lift up their heads and rejoice, and praise his holy name, that they are permitted to live in the days when he returns to his people his everlasting covenants, to prepare them for his presence.
In the 1838 history of the Church prepared under his direction, Joseph Smith gave the following description of the circumstances surrounding this revelation: “At this time there were many things which the elders desired to know relative to preaching the gospel to the inhabitants of the earth, and concerning the gathering: and, in order to walk by the true light, and be instructed from on high, on the 3rd of November 1831. I enquired of the Lord and received the following revelation, which from its importance, and for distinction has since been added to the Book of Doctrine and Covenants and called the Appendix.”
While most of the sections in the Doctrine and Covenants appear in chronological order, section 1 and section 133 were deliberately placed out of order. Doctrine and Covenants 1 was placed at the beginning of the book, and section 133 was placed at the end. Section 133 originally was to appear at the end of the Book of Commandments (1833), but the printing press for the book was destroyed. The revelation was included as the final section in the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants. In the 1876 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants, which was prepared under the direction of Brigham Young, the section was assigned its present number (133), and it has remained at this place in every subsequent edition.
See “Historical Introduction,” Revelation, 3 November 1831 [D&C 133].
Verse-by-Verse Commentary
D&C 133:1–6
1 Hearken, O ye people of my church, saith the Lord your God, and hear the word of the Lord concerning you—
2 The Lord who shall suddenly come to his temple; the Lord who shall come down upon the world with a curse to judgment; yea, upon all the nations that forget God, and upon all the ungodly among you.
3 For he shall make bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of their God.
4 Wherefore, prepare ye, prepare ye, O my people; sanctify yourselves; gather ye together, O ye people of my church, upon the land of Zion, all you that have not been commanded to tarry.
5 Go ye out from Babylon. Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord.
6 Call your solemn assemblies, and speak often one to another. And let every man call upon the name of the Lord.
Doctrine and Covenants 133 opens with a prophecy from Malachi about “the Lord who shall suddenly come to his temple” (Malachi 3:1). Jesus was a frequent visitor to the temple in Jerusalem during his mortal ministry, but this prophecy is undoubtedly referring to a more grand and glorious appearance. The section says that Christ will “make bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of their God” (D&C 133:3; Isaiah 52:10), referring to the Savior’s return in glory to the earth. Elder Orson Pratt taught, “We read in the scriptures of divine truth that the Lord our God is to come to his temple in the last days . . . it is recorded in the 3rd chapter of Malachi that ‘the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his temple.’ This had no reference to the first coming of the Messiah, to the day when he appeared in the flesh; but it has reference to that glorious period termed the last days, when the Lord will again have a house, or a temple reared up on the earth to his holy name.”
The prophecy says that the Lord will appear in His temple in the latter days. This appearance may refer to the temple in Jerusalem, built again, or to the temple that will be built in the city of Zion (D&C 84:2). The prophecy may also have multiple fulfillments. In a sense, the prophecy is fulfilled every time a temple is dedicated and the Savior offers His acceptance of the new house owned by Him. One of the most important things taught within the prophecy is that the temple will still be the focal point of worship in the last days. The Lord’s house is intended for the benefit of the men and women who follow Him. Qualifying for the blessings of the temple is an important part of “go[ing] . . . out of Babylon” (D&C 133:5).
D&C 133:7–16
7 Yea, verily I say unto you again, the time has come when the voice of the Lord is unto you: Go ye out of Babylon; gather ye out from among the nations, from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
8 Send forth the elders of my church unto the nations which are afar off; unto the islands of the sea; send forth unto foreign lands; call upon all nations, first upon the Gentiles, and then upon the Jews.
9 And behold, and lo, this shall be their cry, and the voice of the Lord unto all people: Go ye forth unto the land of Zion, that the borders of my people may be enlarged, and that her stakes may be strengthened, and that Zion may go forth unto the regions round about.
10 Yea, let the cry go forth among all people: Awake and arise and go forth to meet the Bridegroom; behold and lo, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Prepare yourselves for the great day of the Lord.
11 Watch, therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour.
12 Let them, therefore, who are among the Gentiles flee unto Zion.
13 And let them who be of Judah flee unto Jerusalem, unto the mountains of the Lord’s house.
14 Go ye out from among the nations, even from Babylon, from the midst of wickedness, which is spiritual Babylon.
15 But verily, thus saith the Lord, let not your flight be in haste, but let all things be prepared before you; and he that goeth, let him not look back lest sudden destruction shall come upon him.
16 Hearken and hear, O ye inhabitants of the earth. Listen, ye elders of my church together, and hear the voice of the Lord; for he calleth upon all men, and he commandeth all men everywhere to repent.
The Lord never allows a calamity to come upon the earth without first warning His people. An essential part of the work of the Church in the last days is to warn and gather together as many people as will leave Babylon and come to Zion. The proclamation on the family issued in 1995 ends with a powerful statement from the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve: “We warn that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.”
People in the latter days are gathering to safety through entering into sacred covenants and making changes in their lives that free them from the destructive influence of the world. At the time Doctrine and Covenants 133 was received, fleeing to Zion was a literal act. Most people who joined the Church in those days began preparations to physically gather to a Church center in Ohio or Missouri and live with the Saints. Later revelations explained that Zion was also “the pure in heart” (D&C 97:21). People can come to Zion as they abandon the empty and harmful practices of the world to embrace the commandments of God. In this way the borders of Zion are enlarged one heart at a time, as men and women choose a higher life of service and joy.
D&C 133:17–35
17 For behold, the Lord God hath sent forth the angel crying through the midst of heaven, saying: Prepare ye the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight, for the hour of his coming is nigh—
18 When the Lamb shall stand upon Mount Zion, and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand, having his Father’s name written on their foreheads.
19 Wherefore, prepare ye for the coming of the Bridegroom; go ye, go ye out to meet him.
20 For behold, he shall stand upon the mount of Olivet, and upon the mighty ocean, even the great deep, and upon the islands of the sea, and upon the land of Zion.
21 And he shall utter his voice out of Zion, and he shall speak from Jerusalem, and his voice shall be heard among all people;
22 And it shall be a voice as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder, which shall break down the mountains, and the valleys shall not be found.
23 He shall command the great deep, and it shall be driven back into the north countries, and the islands shall become one land;
24 And the land of Jerusalem and the land of Zion shall be turned back into their own place, and the earth shall be like as it was in the days before it was divided.
25 And the Lord, even the Savior, shall stand in the midst of his people, and shall reign over all flesh.
26 And they who are in the north countries shall come in remembrance before the Lord; and their prophets shall hear his voice, and shall no longer stay themselves; and they shall smite the rocks, and the ice shall flow down at their presence.
27 And an highway shall be cast up in the midst of the great deep.
28 Their enemies shall become a prey unto them,
29 And in the barren deserts there shall come forth pools of living water; and the parched ground shall no longer be a thirsty land.
30 And they shall bring forth their rich treasures unto the children of Ephraim, my servants.
31 And the boundaries of the everlasting hills shall tremble at their presence.
32 And there shall they fall down and be crowned with glory, even in Zion, by the hands of the servants of the Lord, even the children of Ephraim.
33 And they shall be filled with songs of everlasting joy.
34 Behold, this is the blessing of the everlasting God upon the tribes of Israel, and the richer blessing upon the head of Ephraim and his fellows.
35 And they also of the tribe of Judah, after their pain, shall be sanctified in holiness before the Lord, to dwell in his presence day and night, forever and ever.
Doctrine and Covenants 133:17–35 speaks of the grand and glorious day when the house of Israel will eventually be reunited. These verses contain the first mention of the Savior standing “upon Mount Zion, and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand, having his Father’s name written on their foreheads” (D&C 133:18). A revelation given just a few months after Joseph received Doctrine and Covenants 133 clarified that the 144,000 mentioned in verse 18 are “high priests, ordained unto the holy order of God, to administer the everlasting gospel; for they are they who are ordained out of every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, by the angels to whom is given power over the nations of the earth, to bring as many as will come to the church of the Firstborn” (D&C 77:11).
When the Lord issues His call for Israel to return to the two great millennial capitols, Jerusalem and Zion, the new Jerusalem built on the American continent (Ether 13:1–8), the lost tribes of the house of Israel will begin their march to return home. While some may interpret Doctrine and Covenants 133:26–27 to mean that a large group of Israelites will return physically as a group to their homeland, it also possible that these passages may be symbolic in nature. Multiple passages in scripture declare that the lost tribes of Israel are scattered among the nations of the earth. Nephi declared, “he gathereth his children from the four quarters of the earth; and he numbereth his sheep, and they know him; and there shall be one fold and one shepherd; and he shall feed his sheep, and in him they shall find pasture” (1 Nephi 22:25). Similar passages that speak of gathering the lost members of the house of Israel are found in Isaiah 56:8; Jeremiah 16:15–16, 31:10; Matthew 23:37; 1 Nephi 10:14, 19:16; 3 Nephi 5:24–26; and Doctrine and Covenants 110:11. The passages listed here are just a sampling of the scriptural commentary on the gathering of Israel from its lost and scattered condition. Based on these passages, it does not seem that the lost tribes of Israel will physically be together in a unified body prior to their return, but they will be gathered by the Church’s missionaries in the latter days.
The reference to those in the “north countries” (D&C 133:26) appears to be a symbolic reference to a loss of cultural identify that the Israelites suffered when the northern kingdom of Israel was conquered and its people were deported to the north by the Assyrian Empire. This supposition seems to align with other information in the scriptures about the location of the lost tribes, but we currently do not have enough information to state with absolute certainty how these prophecies will be fulfilled. One thing that is stated for certain is that the other tribes of Israel will receive blessings and glory from the tribe of Ephraim. Most of the Israelites gathered into the Church so far in this dispensation have been from the tribe of Ephraim. They are either Ephraimites by lineage or by adoption; no distinction is made between the two. But the statement that the other tribes of Israel will “fall down and be crowned with glory, even in Zion, by the hands of the servants of the Lord, even the children of Ephraim” (D&C 133:32) is undoubtedly a reference to the blessings of the priesthood and the temple, which are offered by the Lord’s Church in the latter days.
D&C 133:36–40
36 And now, verily saith the Lord, that these things might be known among you, O inhabitants of the earth, I have sent forth mine angel flying through the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel, who hath appeared unto some and hath committed it unto man, who shall appear unto many that dwell on the earth.
37 And this gospel shall be preached unto every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.
38 And the servants of God shall go forth, saying with a loud voice: Fear God and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment is come;
39 And worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters—
40 Calling upon the name of the Lord day and night, saying: O that thou wouldst rend the heavens, that thou wouldst come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence.
Doctrine and Covenants 133:36–40 directly refers to a prophecy recorded by John in the book of Revelation, in which he writes, “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people” (Revelation 14:6). Latter-day Saints have traditionally interpreted this angel to be Moroni, of whom the Lord said, “I have sent unto you to reveal the Book of Mormon, containing the fulness of my everlasting gospel” (D&C 27:5). The figure of Moroni, which often adorns the spires of Latter-day Saint temples, has become a beloved and well-known symbol of the Restoration.
Because both the book of Revelation and Doctrine and Covenants 133 are apocalyptic and highly symbolic, the figure of the angel mentioned in verses 36–40 not only represents Moroni but all the angelic messengers who played a role in restoring the gospel. Doctrine and Covenants 27:5–13 and 128:20–21 are the two most extensive lists provided by Joseph Smith of the angels who appeared to him and restored priesthood keys and authority. Those listed include Michael or Adam (D&C 27:11, 128:20–21); John the Baptist (D&C 13, 27:7); Peter, James, and John (D&C 27:12, 128:20); Elias (D&C 27:6, 110:12); Moses (D&C 110:11); and Elijah (D&C 110:13–16), as well as Gabriel and Raphael (D&C 128:21).
In an 1879 discourse, President John Taylor added further to the list of angels who ministered to Joseph Smith:
The principles which he [Joseph] had, placed him in communication with the Lord, and not only with the Lord, but with the ancient apostles and prophets; such men, for instance, as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Noah, Adam, Seth, Enoch, and Jesus and the Father, and the apostles that lived on this continent as well as those who lived on the Asiatic continent. He seemed to be as familiar with these people as we are with one another. Why? Because he had to introduce a dispensation which was called the dispensation of the fulness of times, and it was known as such by the ancient servants of God.
D&C 133:41–51
41 And it shall be answered upon their heads; for the presence of the Lord shall be as the melting fire that burneth, and as the fire which causeth the waters to boil.
42 O Lord, thou shalt come down to make thy name known to thine adversaries, and all nations shall tremble at thy presence—
43 When thou doest terrible things, things they look not for;
44 Yea, when thou comest down, and the mountains flow down at thy presence, thou shalt meet him who rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, who remembereth thee in thy ways.
45 For since the beginning of the world have not men heard nor perceived by the ear, neither hath any eye seen, O God, besides thee, how great things thou hast prepared for him that waiteth for thee.
46 And it shall be said: Who is this that cometh down from God in heaven with dyed garments; yea, from the regions which are not known, clothed in his glorious apparel, traveling in the greatness of his strength?
47 And he shall say: I am he who spake in righteousness, mighty to save.
48 And the Lord shall be red in his apparel, and his garments like him that treadeth in the wine-vat.
49 And so great shall be the glory of his presence that the sun shall hide his face in shame, and the moon shall withhold its light, and the stars shall be hurled from their places.
50 And his voice shall be heard: I have trodden the wine-press alone, and have brought judgment upon all people; and none were with me;
51 And I have trampled them in my fury, and I did tread upon them in mine anger, and their blood have I sprinkled upon my garments, and stained all my raiment; for this was the day of vengeance which was in my heart.
Doctrine and Covenants 133:41–51 captures the paradoxical nature of the “great and dreadful” day of the Lord’s return (D&C 2:1). For those who have ignored the warnings found in the scriptures in favor of their own carnal desires, the day of the Lord’s coming will be dreadful. For those who have heeded the words of the Lord and lived faithfully, it will be a time of wonder and rejoicing. These two types of feelings about the Savior’s Second Coming are described throughout the Doctrine and Covenants. For example, the Lord has said, “the time is soon at hand that I shall come in a cloud with power and great glory. And it shall be a great day at the time of my coming, for all nations shall tremble” (D&C 34:7–8). In another passage the Lord declares, “For when the Lord shall appear he shall be terrible unto them, that fear may seize upon them, and they shall stand afar off and tremble. And all nations shall be afraid because of the terror of the Lord, and the power of his might” (D&C 45:74–75).
A potent image of the conflicting feelings the righteous and the wicked will feel at the time of the Savior’s Second Coming is found in the description that “the Lord shall be red in his apparel, and his garments like him that treadeth in the wine-vat” (D&C 133:48). Given the description of the resurrected Savior’s appearance to the Nephites (3 Nephi 11:8), some Latter-day Saints visualize the Savior in white robes at His Second Coming. However, Doctrine and Covenants 133 states that Jesus will be adorned in red robes. The Lord Himself states the reason for his red clothing, saying, “I have trodden the wine-press alone, and have brought judgment upon all people; and none were with me. And I have trampled them in my fury, and I did tread upon them in mine anger, and their blood have I sprinkled upon my garments, and stained all my raiment; for this was the day of vengeance which was in my heart.” (D&C 133:50–51). The Savior’s red robes will represent both the blood of the wicked and the blood of the righteous, as well as the Savior’s own blood, shed from every pore as He struggled under the weight of the sins and pains of the world (D&C 19:16–19; Alma 7:11–12).
D&C 133:52–56
52 And now the year of my redeemed is come; and they shall mention the loving kindness of their Lord, and all that he has bestowed upon them according to his goodness, and according to his loving kindness, forever and ever.
53 In all their afflictions he was afflicted. And the angel of his presence saved them; and in his love, and in his pity, he redeemed them, and bore them, and carried them all the days of old;
54 Yea, and Enoch also, and they who were with him; the prophets who were before him; and Noah also, and they who were before him; and Moses also, and they who were before him;
55 And from Moses to Elijah, and from Elijah to John, who were with Christ in his resurrection, and the holy apostles, with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, shall be in the presence of the Lamb.
56 And the graves of the saints shall be opened; and they shall come forth and stand on the right hand of the Lamb, when he shall stand upon Mount Zion, and upon the holy city, the New Jerusalem; and they shall sing the song of the Lamb, day and night forever and ever.
Verses 52–56 speak of the overwhelming gratitude that will be in the hearts of all those who took advantage of the Savior’s grace to assist them in the trials they faced in their lives. The redeemed, as they are called in verse 52, will speak of the Savior as a companion in the challenges and adversity they faced in their lives. “In all their afflictions he was afflicted. And the angel of his presence saved them; and in his love, and in his pity, he redeemed them, and bore them, and carried them in days of old” (D&C 133:53). This beautiful reunion serves as a powerful reminder that salvation in Christ comes not only after this life when we will rest from our trials but also during this life when we are in the midst of our trials.
Verses 52–56 also confirm that the citizens of the city of Enoch, as well as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and all the prophets from Elijah to John, “were with Christ in his resurrection” (D&C 133:55). These ancient disciples and prophets are now resurrected beings. Enoch and those of his city were already translated beings (Moses 7:69), and so they must have been resurrected “in the twinkling of an eye” (D&C 63:51). The resurrection of these righteous saints at the time of the Savior’s resurrection means the number who have already overcome death is much higher than we may think. There is not just a handful of resurrected angels who assist in the Lord’s work but millions—potentially billions—of souls who have moved on to the next phase of their eternal glory.
D&C 133:57–74
57 And for this cause, that men might be made partakers of the glories which were to be revealed, the Lord sent forth the fulness of his gospel, his everlasting covenant, reasoning in plainness and simplicity—
58 To prepare the weak for those things which are coming on the earth, and for the Lord’s errand in the day when the weak shall confound the wise, and the little one become a strong nation, and two shall put their tens of thousands to flight.
59 And by the weak things of the earth the Lord shall thresh the nations by the power of his Spirit.
60 And for this cause these commandments were given; they were commanded to be kept from the world in the day that they were given, but now are to go forth unto all flesh—
61 And this according to the mind and will of the Lord, who ruleth over all flesh.
62 And unto him that repenteth and sanctifieth himself before the Lord shall be given eternal life.
63 And upon them that hearken not to the voice of the Lord shall be fulfilled that which was written by the prophet Moses, that they should be cut off from among the people.
64 And also that which was written by the prophet Malachi: For, behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
65 Wherefore, this shall be the answer of the Lord unto them:
66 In that day when I came unto mine own, no man among you received me, and you were driven out.
67 When I called again there was none of you to answer; yet my arm was not shortened at all that I could not redeem, neither my power to deliver.
68 Behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea. I make the rivers a wilderness; their fish stink, and die for thirst.
69 I clothe the heavens with blackness, and make sackcloth their covering.
70 And this shall ye have of my hand—ye shall lie down in sorrow.
71 Behold, and lo, there are none to deliver you; for ye obeyed not my voice when I called to you out of the heavens; ye believed not my servants, and when they were sent unto you ye received them not.
72 Wherefore, they sealed up the testimony and bound up the law, and ye were delivered over unto darkness.
73 These shall go away into outer darkness, where there is weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth.
74 Behold the Lord your God hath spoken it. Amen.
Doctrine and Covenants 133:57–74 returns to a theme emphasized by its sister section, Doctrine and Covenants 1, which was received at the same time as section 133. In both sections the Lord speaks of mighty miracles that will come to pass in the last days as the “weak things of the earth” become the instruments of the great work of the latter days (D&C 133:57–59; compare D&C 1:19–23). Those seen as weak and simple by the rest of the world will carry forth the gospel message that will separate the righteous from the wicked. This great separation of the covenant keepers from those who will rebel and fight against the work of God is a vital part of the “threshing” that will take place in the latter days (D&C 133:59; see commentary for D&C 35:13–16).
This theme of ruin and reward found throughout section 133 is emphasized again by the Savior in verses 62–63. For the righteous, His message is that men or women “that repenteth and sanctifieth [themselves] before the Lord shall be given eternal life” (D&C 133:62). For the wicked and unrepentant, the message, sadly, is “there are none to deliver you; for ye obeyed not my voice when I called to you out of the heavens; ye believed not my servants, and when they were sent unto you ye received them not. Wherefore, they sealed up the testimony and bound up the law, and ye were delivered over unto darkness” (D&C 133:71–72). Thus, the message of the latter days becomes both great and terrible depending on the hearts of the listeners and their heed to the words of the Lord.
Footnotes
